


Reluctant Partygoer

by Assassin_of_kings



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 12:10:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4834826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Assassin_of_kings/pseuds/Assassin_of_kings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Halt is complaining and does not want to attend a party that Baron Arald is throwing for a festival. Pauline forces him to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reluctant Partygoer

It was an exciting day for everyone at Castle Redmont, everyone except for Halt. There was a festival going on and Baron Arald had decided to throw a party in celebration. Halt had reiterated multiple times that he didn’t want to attend, but Pauline said he had to.

“It is your obligation as a Ranger of Redmont fief to attend. Arald would also be deeply disappointed, being one of his closest friends, if you didn’t go.”

“Will doesn’t have to go.” Halt complained.

Pauline sighed. her husband was as stubborn as a mule when it came to social events, or anything else except coffee. She always felt that if he had been told a cup of coffee was poisoned that he would just shrug and down it.

“Will, Horace, and Cassandra just got back from Skandia yesterday.”

“All they did was visit. No strenuous work was actually done.” Halt realized he had just backed himself in a corner in the argument.

“And you call sitting around, and occasionally practicing your shooting strenuous work? I

think not. You’re going.”

“Of course dear.” He continued to fix his suit. He knew he was going to lose the argument before it has started. He rarely won the arguments he and Pauline had. He didn’t mind though, he thought it was fun having stupid little arguments with his wife.

                              

*                *                 *               *

It was only an hour into the party and Halt was already complaining again. He kept complaining about how many people there were, about feeling exposed, and a plethora of other things. Pauline had already tapped the back of his head, discreetly, three times in the previous fifteen minutes. All for unsavory comments about some of the people.

“Why isn’t Cal here. She always comes to social events like these.” Halt was worried about his adopted daughter. It wasn’t entirely unreasonable for him to be.

“Did you forget? She’s with Gilan.”

“That’s right. If they do anything I’ll…”

“Halt!” Pauline interrupted before he could finish that sentence. She didn’t particularly want  to know how it was going to end.

“Yes dear?” Halt asked. Knowing full well it was to interrupt him.

Pauline shook her head. Halt was especially difficult at social events. She knew it was because he was nervous around so many people. It didn’t make it an exception for him to be rude, and very free with his speech.

“Would you like a drink, my love?”

“Yes, please, darling.” She could never stay mad at Halt. She had tried numerous times before. He always was able to say something to make her smile, or laugh.

Halt kissed her on the cheek and walked off to supposedly find the beverages. He ran into Arald while trying to do so. They talked for a brief couple of minutes. Mostly about the festival and what Halt thought of the party. He lied and said he was enjoying himself. He excused himself.

Finding a quiet corridor he sat down against the wall. Parties always wore him out. He had always found them too loud, and there were always way too many people for him. Never enough space either. He sat there for a good two hours and just listened to the party.

When Pauline finally found him she giggled at how he looked. He looked like a little boy who wants to attend the party but can’t. His back was against the wall, his head was tilted slightly towards the sound, and he had a small smile on his face. She couldn’t help thinking that he had done that at least once in his childhood.

“So this is where you disappeared to. You went to get a drink for me and never came back.”

“You know I don’t like parties.” He stated as she sat next to him.

She took his hand, intertwined their fingers, and smiled at him.

“Then, I suppose, I’ll just have to sit here with you.”


End file.
